Nation
THE STATES
L-R: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, former governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Oba of Lagos State, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and Vice Chancellor Usman Danfodiyo University (UDU) Sokoto, Prof Abdullahi Zuru at the Convocation of the University in Sokoto, recently.
Benue
The Benue House of Assembly has passed the state’s
second supplementary appropriation bill of N24 .5 billion for the 2015 fiscal year.
The appropriation comprised a recurrent expenditure of N12.5 billion and a capital vote of N12 billion.
Mr Adam Okloho (APC-Adoka/Ugboju), Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, had frowned at the indulgence of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in extra budgetary expenditure.
Okloho said that the state government had paid backlog of salary arrears of N12.5 billion owed workers, using the bailout fund from the Federal Government.
Mr Ianna Jato (PDP-Katsina-Ala East) said the House welcomed any further complaints on disbursement of the bailout fund if any for amicable resolution.
Borno
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
said that it had presented foodstuff to the Yobe Government for the feeding of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
NEMA North-East Information Officer, Malam Abdulkadir Ibrahim, stated this in a statement in Maiduguri.
Ibrahim said that the gesture was in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the state and the agency.
“The Zonal NEMA North-East Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, presented foodstuff provided by the agency to the Secretary to the Yobe Government, Alhaji Baba Wali in Damaturu,’’ he said.
Ibrahim said the gesture was in line with the mandate of NEMA of providing succour to victims of disasters in the country.
Kano
The Global Partnership on Education (GEP) has allocated
27 million dollars to Kano State as part of its support to the development of education in the area.
The state Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Education, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, disclosed this at the launch of the Global Partnership for Education/Nigerian Partnership for Education in Kano recently.
Abubakar said no fewer than 5,000 primary schools; 45,000 teachers and 500,000 pupils would benefit from the gesture between 2016 and 2019.
He said, “with this support, the future of education will be very bright in the state’’.
According to him, GPE has earmarked 100 million dollars for the implementation of the project in five states of the North-West.
Katsina
A Malumfashi Senior Magistrates’ Court in Katsina State
has dismissed application by the police to stall a case of assault on the pretext of continuing with investigation.
Three persons, Abubakar Magaji, Abubakar Umar and Sagir Iliya all residents of Malumfashi, were arraigned for beating up one Kamilu Sheikh-Munir, on March 13.
The three had pleaded guilty to the three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal force and assault, which contravened Sections 97, 263 and 264 of the Penal Code Law.
In spite of their plea, the prosecuting Police Officer, Cpl. Joseph George, forwarded a written application for withdrawal of the case to allow the police continue with investigation.
Senior Magistrate Mannir Shehu, however rejected the application on the ground that the accused persons had already pleaded guilty and would only require summary trial.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government has released N60million for
procurement of animals feeds to promote livestock production to stem clashes between farmers and cattle breeders.
The state chairman of the Cattle Breeders Association Alhaji Mohammed Dan-Ali, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
He said the association submitted the proposal for the procurement of the feeds, adding, “Government has since released the fund to the state Ministry of Animal Husbandry for supply and sale of feeds to breeders.”
He said the feeds that included livestock salt, dust and cotton seeds would be sold to Cattle breeders and other livestock producers at subsidised rate.
Dan-Ali, however, called on the state government to hasten grazing range demarcation to end encroachment by farmers, stressing that farmers had encroached about 150 kilometres into the grazing reserve.
Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called on the
National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) to collaborate with it in the area of revenue generation.
The Customs Zone ‘A’ Coordinator, Assistant Comptroller-General Charles Edike, made the call in Lagos while speaking at a Stakeholders‘ Forum organised by NAGAFF.
He said the collaboration between the Customs service and other stakeholders, especially freight forwarders, was necessary to improve on revenue and boost non-oil revenue of the Federal Government.
“These are indeed hard times. The price of crude oil is falling, so are imports declining. So the revenue focus is on non-oil, especially revenue from the Customs.
“We know that one hand cannot wash itself clean. It takes both hands to clean each other.
Nasarawa
A 20-year-old student, Blessing Igobo, has been arraigned
in a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, for alleged theft of telephone recharge cards worth N10,000.
Igobo was arraigned on a two-count charge of mischief and theft.
The prosecutor, Mr Friday Adaji, told the court that Patience Okpara, a resident of Mararaba, reported the case at the ‘A’ Division Police Station on March 11.
Adaji said that on March 1, at about 10 a.m., the accused came to the complainant’s shop located at Mararaba to buy recharge card.
The prosecutor said the complainant, however, had no change for the denomination the accused brought.
Niger
The Niger Government said that it had concluded
arrangement to establish grazing reserves in the state in order to forestall conflicts between farmers and Fulani herdsmen.
Niger Commissioner for Agriculture Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, stated this in Minna, in an interview with newsmen.
He spoke on the sideline of the ministry’s budget defence at the Kwara House of Assembly.
The commissioner said that government would build settlements on the grazing reserves for the Fulani herdsmen to make them settle down conveniently.
“The Federal Government as well as the state government is concerned about the problems of herdsmen/farmers, with each contesting for the same farmland.
Osun
An Osogbo Customary Court has dissolved an 8-year-old
marriage between Suliyat Adedeji and her husband, Teslim, over complaint of battering by the defendant.
Suliyat, a petty trader, also accused her husband, a shoemaker, of lack of proper care of her and their two children.
“My husband is fond of beating me. I had reported him to his parents several times but they always tell me they are less concerned.
“His parents usually say we should sort ourselves out since we agreed to marry each other from the beginning,’’ Suliyat told the court.
Teslim, in his defence, denied the allegation by his wife, but agreed that the marriage be dissolved.
Oyo
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ court sitting at Ibadan
has sentenced 29-year-old Dare Idogbe to 21 months imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle packed beside the court.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.F.Richard, ordered that prison term should be with hard labour.
Richard sentenced Idogbe to six months imprisonment for the first charge of conspiracy and one year and three months for stealing, and ordered that the sentences should run concurrently.
Idogbe with no known address was arraigned on March 8, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
He pleaded guilty to the charges, admitting that he was introduced to how to steal motorcycles by somebody he met at an Indian hemp joint at Beere.
He told the court that he usually sold motorcycles he stole at N15, 000.
At arraignment, Police prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Ogunremi, had told the court that Idogbe and one other, now at large, conspired to steal a Bajaj motorcycle.
Plateau
Ahead of the PDP state congresses slated for May 7, former
Sports Minister, Damishi Sango and Rep. Bitrus Kaze are among the top contenders for the chairmanship post in Plateau.
Also among those that had so far indicated interest in the race are the immediate past Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr Chris Hassan.
A top party source, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent in Jos that two other members, Jonathan Dabo and Mr Adi Kaba, were also interested in the seat.
The Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Pam Sale, said that the party was happy that “such high calibre of persons” were keen on providing leadership.
“The party has yet to start selling nomination forms, but we are impressed with the quality of those seeking the seat.
Yobe
The Yobe State Government has bought equipment worth
N20 million to rehabilitate 16 boreholes for returning internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the 17 communities liberated by the Joint Task Force (JTF) from Boko Haram insurgents in Gujba local government.
The State Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Dawa Maigari, said this in Damaturu while conducting newsmen round the equipment.
Maigari, also the Chairman, Technical Committee on Rehabilitation of Water, added that the state government would rehabilitate all the boreholes vandalised by the insurgents in the wake of attacks on the communities.
He said that the rehabilitation would be continuous as the IDPS who fled the villages during the attacks by the insurgents had started returning.
Chairman, Gujba Local Government Council, Alhaji Kyari Batarama, lauded the state government for rehabilitating the boreholes to serve the people.
“Residents of about 17 villages have returned and the rehabilitation of these boreholes will assist them in resettling after fleeing the communities for a long time.
The Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt’s College of Health Sciences, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive forensic science infrastructure, warning that the nation’s ability to investigate and solve crime is being hampered by lack of scientific data and systems.
In his inaugural lecture titled, “Man: Fearfully Different, Wonderfully Made,” delivered as part of the 207th Inaugural Lecture Series of the university, Prof Oladipo highlighted that while no two individuals are exactly the same, the country currently lacks the robust systems needed to collect and manage biological and anthropometric data that could support criminal investigations.
He explained that the natural variations among humans — from fingerprints to physical measurements — form the foundation of personal identification in forensic work. These biological differences, he said, are essential for distinguishing one person from another, especially in the context of criminal investigations where clarity of identity can mean the difference between justice and impunity. Without this scientific foundation, he argued, law enforcement agencies lack a critical tool in the fight against crime.
Experts have noted that Nigeria’s forensic science capacity has historically lagged behind needs, with only a few forensic facilities available and many law enforcement agencies struggling to access or use scientific evidence effectively. One review of the state of forensic investigation in Nigeria found that outdated facilities and limited adoption of modern forensic methods have left many cases unsolved or poorly investigated, even as crime rates rise across the country.
In Lagos, efforts to improve forensic capabilities have focused on DNA analysis, with the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre — the first of its kind in West Africa — providing critical support for criminal investigations and helping to identify human remains, link related cases, and assist with paternity testing. However, such initiatives are yet to be replicated at a national scale, leaving many regions without access to these vital scientific tools.
Prof Oladipo’s lecture went beyond academic theory to propose concrete actions. He called for the establishment of a National Institute of Forensic Science responsible for creating and managing a nationwide anthropometric and forensic data bank. This repository, he stressed, would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to track crime, assist law enforcement agencies, and improve the administration of justice by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and legal processes.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening research and training in forensic science. Many Nigerian universities currently lack the funding and infrastructure to offer complete undergraduate or postgraduate programs in areas such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and crime scene investigation, a gap that forces aspiring experts to rely on collaborations with institutions abroad. By fostering a research-friendly environment and securing greater support from both government and private sectors, Nigerian institutions could produce homegrown experts capable of advancing forensic science in the country.
Awareness of forensic science’s role in criminal justice remains low among the general public and even among some security professionals. Studies have shown that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with basic forensic concepts or the existence of tools such as DNA profiling and national forensic databases — tools that are common features of criminal justice systems in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Prof Oladipo also urged regular training and retraining programs to keep forensic practitioners updated with evolving scientific methods. According to him, continuous professional development is critical in a field where technological advances — from biometric databases to digital forensic tools — are transforming how crimes are investigated and solved.
The lecture was attended by academics, students, and professionals drawn to the intersection of science, identity, and justice, all of whom heard the professor make a compelling case for scientific innovation and institutional reform as central to Nigeria’s effort to contain crime and strengthen its justice system.
The event not only showcased Prof Oladipo’s expertise in human anatomy and forensic psychology but also positioned forensic science as a strategic national priority — one that could bring clarity to investigations, support victims and their families, and ultimately enhance public safety across Nigeria.
The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.
The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.
Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.
In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.
“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”
The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.
Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.
She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.
The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.
The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.
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